SPYTAIL™ Black Ginger Rum enters the premium rum category

I ran into my friend Elwyn Gladstone a few weeks ago and asked him what he was up to. His answer was surprising, but, then again, everything Elwyn does is unique and extraordinary.

I’ve known Elwyn for a number of years and wrote about him last year when he launched Malfy Gin. He is a smart businessman, an astute marketer, and a successful product innovator. As I mentioned in my earlier post about him, he was instrumental in the development and launch of brands such as, Hendrick’s Gin, Sailor Jerry, Kraken Rum, Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey and others.

The company he launched, Bigger & Leith, has this description on their website:

Biggar & Leith owns a small portfolio of fine spirits from established, family-owned distilleries who are dedicated to innovation and quality. We search the globe for brands whose bottles transmit the personality and stories of the people who make them.

Submarines and rum

SPYTAIL Black Ginger Rum is produced by La Compagnie Bathysphere. It is Caribbean Rum aged, spiced, blended and bottled in the Cognac Region of France. It’s based on the French tradition of aging rum with fresh ginger.

SPYTAIL’s story celebrates the French deep-sea pioneers whose underwater efforts are renowned both in fact and fiction—from Jules Verne to Jacques Cousteau. The name “SPYTAIL” was discovered by their distillers stamped on an old engineering plan for a submarine in the local maritime archive. They also discovered that, while submarines sailed along the bottom of the Charente River, ships laden with rum and ginger followed the same route from the Caribbean.

Voila—an inspiration emerged. Barrels of rum filled with fresh ginger roots and aged until the liquid turned almost black.

Why stop there? The packaging inspiration

Elwyn and his distilling partners decided that to fully acknowledge the product, the history of the region and French submarining, an appropriate package needed to be created.

The SPYTAIL bottle shape is based on a Bathysphere (a primitive form of submarine) with a porthole embossed on the front and back. Hidden within the embossing are the co-ordinates of the final resting place of Jules Verne. The navy blue and orange striped label, based on a French Navy signal flag, is adorned with engineering details from original submarine designs. The heavy stopper is crafted from metal and embossed with the words “Voyages Extraordinaires” – a nod to underwater pioneers.

It’s a fun product with an interesting back story.

But what about the taste and the product itself? I’m glad you asked…

The liquid

Black ginger rum is a terrific idea and a strong entry in the growing premium rum category. In addition, ginger has become a seriously popular flavor among cocktail consumers – Moscow Mules, Dark & Stormy, ginger beer, and more.

I’m not a spirit’s reviewer— just a booze business guy who enjoys cocktails and trying new products. So, here’s a layperson’s observation.

I tried it on the rocks with a twist of orange peel and with ginger beer. I also used it in a hot toddy instead of whiskey. The rum and the ginger really complement each other and it’s enjoyable and unique.

Product details

SPYTAIL Black Ginger Rum is produced and bottled in France and imported by Biggar & Leith. It’s 40% alcohol by volume and a 750 ml sells for under $25. In addition to the U.S., SPYTAIL is also available in Canada, France, U.K., Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

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I very much look forward to my conversations with Elwyn. He has a unique grasp on the booze business and incredible insights. Beyond that his product offerings are top notch, creative, and based on his in depth understanding of today’s drinkers’ need and wants.

Malfy Gin is doing quite well and the early indications are that SPYTAIL is getting good reviews by the trade.